If you’ve heard these highly underrated 80s punk albums before, pat yourself on the back. These are some lesser-known but still stellar albums from some clever punks who deserved more recognition than they received. Slaughter and the Dogs — ‘Do It Dog Style’This debut from Manchester punk band Slaughter and the Dogs was technically released in 1978, making them one of the first bands on the forefront of punk. They were formed by Wayne Barrett, Mick Rossi, Brian “Mad Muffet” Grantham, Mike Day, and Howard Bates in 1975. A year later, they supported the Sex Pistols at a show in Manchester which became the nucleus of the U.K. punk scene. They originally called it quits in 1978, after the release of Do It Dog Style, but reunited a year later. Their debut album, though, remains a stalwart example of the more unconcerned origins of punk. There was a more nonchalant air about U.K. punk, especially Slaughter and the Dog’s brand of pub rock. They weren’t overly concerned with making sweeping political statements or protesting anything, really. Their music wasn’t overly complicated or obsessed with itself. It was simply an expression of working class life, fast and loud and messy. Chumbawamba — ‘Pictures of Starving children Sell Records’Was anyone going to tell me Chumbawamba was actually anarcho-punk or did I just have to figure that out for myself? Their debut 1986 album Pictures Of Starving Children Sell Records was just about as punk as it gets, if not totally in musical style than in sentiment. It’s not the fast and loose punk of the late 70s, but something new and theatrical. But, at its heart, still punk. The opening track, “How To Get Your Band On TV,” takes the concept of the charity concert and exposes its darkest parts. The song operates under the clever guise of a show called “Slag Aid,” where “for every pop star that we slag off today / A million pounds will be given away.” They denounce Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, stars who were often transparent with their ties to charitable causes like Live Aid.But one of the kickers with the big charity concerts, according to Chumbawamba, was the money trail. “Ask the puppet master who pull the strings / Who makes the money when the puppets sing?” Really, before “Tubthumping” put Chumbawamba in eternal meme prison, they were the U.K.’s answer to Dead Kennedys (and don’t think I didn’t make the connection to the Plastic Surgery Disasters album cover). Eskorbuto — ‘Eskizofrenia’If you’re familiar with the Spanish punk scene, you probably already know Eskorbuto. They emerged in 1980 and became one of the most influential Spanish language hardcore punk bands of the time. The band was also included in the Basque Radical Rock movement which lasted the decade and openly criticized the Spanish state, the police, the monarchy, the Roman Catholic Church, and other social and political systems. However, Eskorbuto rejected the label, refusing to be lumped into a movement they felt was a money and power grab from outsiders. Eskorbuto released several independent EPs before finding a label that would sign them. Eskizofrenia became their debut LP after around four years of being denied. They were not often welcome in the Basque Country due to their open criticisms of the region and its politics. Still, their popularity grew because of that as well. They were committing the injustices in the region to music and lyrics, leaving a record of police brutality, drug abuse, overzealous military presence, violent protests against the Lémoniz Nuclear Power Plant, and an attempted coup d’état in the early 80s. Context is key for Eskorbuto. Their impact on the Spanish punk scene is still relevant, even if interest in their music waned in the 90s. Eskizofrenia is more than an angry, loud album that gets lost in an outdated idea of what punk means. It simply was punk, in its purest form. Septic Death — ‘Now That I Have The Attention What Do I Do With It?’Septic Death formed out of Boise, Idaho, and was essentially the blueprint for future grindcore and thrashcore. They formed in 1981 with Brian “Pushead” Schroeder on vocals. Other members included Jon Taylor, Mike Matlock, and Paul Birnbaum. Later they would be associated with James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. Now That I Have The Attention What Do I Do With It? was released in 1984, before Septic Death disbanded in 1986. There were other releases following the breakup, but this debut quickly cemented them as the fathers of speedcore. They influenced many later bands in the scene, becoming cult legends among the next generation.Septic Death’s brand of hardcore punk dealt mostly with internal conflict. Fear, paranoia, desperate loneliness, and darkly altered mental states were frequent subjects. The stereotypical punk mindset is often tied to social causes, political criticism, protesting injustice and the like. But there’s definitely merit to the punks who turn their focus inward. Photo by Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesThe post Stop Me If You’ve Heard These 80s Punk Albums Before (But I Don’t Think You Will) appeared first on VICE.